Moonlight and Mistletoe
by MinervaDeannaBond
Summary: Santa is lost without Mrs. Claus. Nicholas learned that when his wife went away. Now she's back, they are standing under the mistletoe in the moonlight, and Nicholas is determined to show his beloved Anna just how much she means to him.


I'm proud to say that I have the first-ever _Mrs. Santa Claus _story on this site! In this wonderful movie, Angela Lansbury plays Mrs. Anna Claus, who is feeling ignored by her husband Nicholas - aka Santa - at Christmastime. Eager to show the world that she has gifts of her own to offer, Anna takes the sleigh and flies to New York, where she works Christmas magic on a lonely neighborhood. Meanwhile, once Nicholas learns that she is gone, he is worried sick about her, regretting that he's neglected her. When Anna finally returns to the North Pole, Nicholas invites her to join him on his journey... but what happened afterward? Did he ask Anna to forgive him? Did he show her how much he loved her? This is my take on Mr. and Mrs. Claus's happily-ever-after.

Dedicated to my friend dorthekirsten, who loves _Mrs. Santa Claus _as much as I do. Merry Christmas, girl, and much love to you!

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><p>Never did he imagine he would be so happy to have her back in his arms.<p>

Nicholas sometimes wondered if anyone who truly believed in him, in all that Christmas stood for, had any clue that he was as human as any other man. Why, imagine how children would feel if they knew that Santa Claus had ignored his own wife, and during the time of year that put such tremendous emphasis on love! It was scary to even comprehend, and guilt stabbed at his heart whenever he _did _think about it. He was supposed to be the symbol of selflessness, giving, and love, everything that Christmas was about... but only now did he realize that he was married to one who represented those virtues, the spirit of Christmas itself, far better than he did.

_Anna. My darling Anna. _Her name meant "grace," and his Anna was grace in every sense of the word. Standing next to him now, in the beautiful red coat he'd made for her, she was grace, elegance, and beauty personified. Silver moonlight that poured down over the North Pole and made the snow sparkle like diamond dust was glittering in her eyes and lighting the strands of gold in her hair. Her bearing was certainly more graceful than that of any queen – which was what she was, the queen of the North.

More than anything, though, Anna was his _saving _grace. When he'd learned that she had gone, taken the sleigh and reindeer on a trip around the world by herself, he was shocked – and a little angry – that she hadn't told him. That anger had quickly given way to sadness and guilt when Arvo confronted him with the truth: he hadn't even noticed she was gone. He missed her terribly, so much that it felt like half of his soul had been ripped away. And it had. Anna was his other half; his better half. She was his ballast in the annual sea of holiday storms, the one who kept him sane when he was overwhelmed with letters, who counseled him whenever he needed advice, who held him when he sought warmth among the cold and snow.

Nicholas had found himself craving that warmth on Christmas Eve. Just when he began to wonder if he would ever see his beloved wife again, if he would ever get to tell her just how much she meant to him, there she was! Anna swept through the door, bringing a wave of warm sunshine with her and brightening his life anew. He folded her into his arms and kissed her cheek, sending up a silent prayer of thanks that she was back. And in that moment, he found himself wondering yet again: wondering if she would ever forgive him for ignoring her, forgetting that she made him whole.

He took the first step in making peace when he gave her a Christmas gift he should have given her long ago. Seeing her face light up when she was wrapped in her new red coat, with the warm gloves, soft white muff, and sparkling ruby earrings, gave him a thrill of hope that she would forgive him... as did her joy when he said they were using her new route around the world that Christmas. They had shared a wonderful, magical Christmas Eve together, flying from house to house delivering presents and singing carols at the top of their lungs. Her route had been a success, so wonderfully planned that Nicholas declared that he would use it every Christmas from then on out. Anna had been so overjoyed that she had kissed him as they were getting off the sleigh, causing them both to tumble off and into a pile of soft snow.

That kiss thrilled Nicholas like nothing he'd felt in a long time. It had been too long since he'd seen his wife in such a way, since he'd given her more than just a peck on the cheek. Looking at her now, as they stood in the moonlight, on the balcony of their bedroom, he saw how beautiful she truly was. And he intended to show her in the best way he knew how.

Anna let out a sigh. "It's a lovely night, isn't it? Just look at the way those stars are shining, and the moon on the snow. I don't think I've ever seen a more beautiful sight."

Nicholas smiled. "Neither have I." She was speaking of the landscape, the mountains, snow, and stars, but he was speaking of something altogether different.

A heartbeat of silence passed before comprehension sank in. Anna turned to him, realizing that his eyes were fully rested upon her, and stared at him in astonishment. "Are you talking about me?"

"How can I not be talking about you? I saw this -" he waved a hand at the scenery before them - "every day while you were gone. I didn't see you for _days. _When you walked through that door earlier tonight, and when you were wearing your new coat... my stars, Anna, you were the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen."

"Oh, Nicky," she said, blushing in spite of herself. "I'm not beautiful, and you know it."

"Yes, you are," Nicholas said, taking her by the shoulders and gazing intently into her big blue eyes. "You're beautiful inside and out. The Northern Lights aren't half as beautiful as you."

Anna's eyes twinkled brighter than the stars above. "Prove it," she whispered teasingly.

"I'm way ahead of you." Nicholas pointed a finger skyward and Anna followed it until her eyes locked on a sprig of mistletoe, hanging from the balcony doorway. Her face broke into a smile, that thousand-watt smile he loved with all of his heart. "Nicholas, you had this planned all along, didn't you?"

"From the moment I realized you were gone." Nicholas grasped his wife's hands in his own. "I'm so sorry for ignoring you, for treating you as though you didn't exist. You mean more to me than anything else in the world – more than snow, more than the gifts we make... more than Christmas itself. You _are _my world, Anna. Can you ever forgive me?"

Anna's eyes, as blue as the Arctic sky, filled with tears. "Nicky... of course I forgive you. I forgave you when I realized how much I missed you... how much I needed you."

"And I need you," he whispered, pressing his forehead against hers. "I need you so much."

Nicholas paused when he felt soft fingers against his lips. The sparkle had returned to his wife's eyes, as had the smile to her face. "Kiss me, Nicky," she said softly.

Joy exploded within his heart. "With pleasure, Mrs. Claus." Nicholas cradled her face in his hands and covered her lips with his, savoring the depth of the kiss. She tasted like cool peppermint and the sweetest chocolate, and the heady aroma of Christmas roses filled his senses as he breathed in the smell of her perfume. As the kiss deepened, his arms came around her, drawing her close to his body, and he immersed himself in the feel of her – her softness, her curves. His hands wandered upward to unfasten her elaborate bun and her beautiful, thick golden hair spilled all over her shoulders, his fingers combing through the silky tresses. "Anna..." he breathed against her mouth.

"Nicky," she whispered back, allowing him to lift her into his arms and carry her into the privacy of their bedroom. Candles were blown and drapes were drawn, and the two of them yielded to desire and joy, losing themselves in long-overdue hours of passion and love. Later on, when love had worn her out and Anna was fast asleep, snuggled into his arms, Nicholas lay awake, running his fingers through her hair and gazing at the remarkable woman he'd married. No longer was she merely Mrs. Santa Claus to him. She was Anna. His wife, partner, lover, and friend. His heart and soul. His saving grace.


End file.
